1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to buckle assemblies for headgear adjustment straps, and in particular, to buckle assemblies for adjusting elastic straps for swimming goggles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently available buckle assemblies for swimming goggles generally include a strap length-adjusting piece 17 which is formed on either, outer side portions of a lens frame 18 as shown in FIG. 1. Such strap length-adjusting piece 17 has at least two elongated openings through which ends of strap 15 pass. These through openings are disposed in a side-by-side relationship as shown in FIG. 2. Strap 15 is wrapped around a wall portion 17a between the two through openings. In order to enable strap 15 to be easily removed from the strap length-adjusting piece 17 to adjust length, the center portion of an outermost wall portion 17b is partially cut-out. Strap 15 is disposed in the strap length-adjusting piece 17 by passing a free end 15a of strap 15 through one of the openings which is adjacent to the lens part from the rear side of the piece, and then passing the same free end of the strap through the outermost opening.
A swimming goggle generally includes a lens assembly 13 having two lens frames 18 each having a lens part 11 fixed therein, with a nose bridge 14 connecting the inner sides of the lens frames. Head strap 15 connects the outer sides of the lens assembly 13. Each of the lens parts 11 generally has a silicon packing 12 provided on the wearer facing side thereof. Silicon packing 12 has a face engaging surface which is adapted to comfortably engage the wearer""s face and compliantly follow the contour of the wearer""s face due to its compressibility.
Accordingly, the wearer adjusts the length of the elastic strap by pulling one end 15a of the elastic strap 15 which is wrapped around strap-supporting portion 17a of the strap length adjusting piece 17, usually before wearing the swimming goggle. Once worn, silicon packing 12 seals to the skin of the face so that water does not leak into the interior of each lens part. If the elastic strap is too tightly adjusted, silicon packing 12 presses excessively around the eyes, which may result in pain in the skin around the eyes. If elastic strap 15 is too loosely adjusted, water may leak into lens part 11 past the silicon packing 12. For these reasons, adjustments to the length of the elastic strap 15 is required before a swimming goggle is put on to apply adequate pressure to the face.
In swimming goggles having the above-described buckle assembly, a wearer cannot adjust the length of the elastic strap 15 while wearing the swimming goggle on his head. The wearer must take off the swimming goggle from his head to adjust the length of the elastic strap. This adjusting operation is often repeated several times which may be extremely inconvenient.
One object of the present invention is to overcome such problems with prior art buckle assemblies, and to provide a buckle assembly which makes tightening and loosening operations simpler, quicker and more convenient with a simple arrangement such that the operations may be accomplished with only one hand and ensures the highest functional reliability of the buckle assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a swimming goggle provided with such a buckle assembly which enables the wearer to perform the tightening and loosening operations while wearing the swimming goggle on his head.
The invention achieves the above objects by providing a buckle assembly for releasably fixing a strap and having a plurality of width-wise ridges, comprising a buckle body further comprising a strap-supporting portion around which the strap is wrapped; a slider, slidable between a first position and a second position with respect to the strap-supporting portion; the slider further comprising a strap-pressing piece which presses down the strap against the strap-supporting portion in its first position; and wherein, when the strap is pulled, one of the ridges engages with the strap-pressing piece to move the slider to the second position and, when the strap is released, another one of the ridges is engaged with the strap-pressing piece to move the slider to the first position.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the various embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.